FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2022
CONTACT: Camille Jewell, cjewell@vancomm.com or 202-248-5460
National EMS Advisory Council Publishes Lifesaving Stroke Care Guidelines
Experts available to discuss federal signal to states to update outdated protocols
FAIRFAX, Va. — On the heels of the federal omnibus appropriations package, which included language endorsing updated EMS triage and transport protocols for stroke patients, newly published National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines (Version 3.0, p. 48 – 50) from the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) also urge states and localities to take these lifesaving actions.
These federal guidelines will help policies catch up to proven technological innovations and steer all states and localities toward triage, transport and treatment protocols that best meet the needs of stroke patients. Stroke experts believe they will infuse urgency and support into current state efforts and jumpstart protocol updates across the country.
Additionally, the use of a prehospital stroke severity scale for EMS providers to assess strokes in the field been incorporated within the updated guidelines. This ensures that EMS providers can take patients to the proper facility, equipped to treat complex stroke cases.
“Following the recent federal omnibus package, we’re now even more encouraged by this additional national confirmation of the importance of updating triage, transport and treatment protocols across the country,” said Michael Chen, MD, president of the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS). “Transporting patients to the right hospital instead of the closest one to receive the treatments will undoubtedly reduce disability and save the lives of stroke patients.”
In the case of the most serious strokes — known as an emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) — up to two million brain cells die each minute. The longer a patient’s treatment is delayed, the greater the impact the stroke will have — potentially disabling the patient for life, or worse. Stroke surgeons say ELVOs require direct transport to a Level 1 stroke center to ensure that patients receive stroke thrombectomy from a specialized care team. Stroke thrombectomy is a lifesaving and minimally invasive procedure that restores blood flow to the brain. Unlike trauma protocols, most states do not require transport of ELVO stroke patients to a thrombectomy-capable facility. This means that some patients are brought to facilities that can’t best treat their stroke, so they lose time being transferred to a different location.
Since 2016, the Get Ahead of Stroke® campaign has worked with EMS and state leaders to ensure the best possible outcomes for these patients. To date, they’ve had success across the country, including in North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee, Arizona and Florida. They’re currently working to improve stroke care state-by-state through policy changes in Massachusetts, Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Download the campaign’s free Stroke Scales for EMS mobile app on Apple and Android devices.
To learn more about stroke triage and transfer protocols in your state, visit: https://getaheadofstroke.org/stage/state-policies/.
To coordinate interviews with leading stroke surgeons, patients and advocates, please contact Camille Jewell at cjewell@vancomm.com.
Get Ahead of Stroke® is a national public education and advocacy campaign designed to improve systems of care for stroke patients. Founded in 2016 by the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS), today the campaign is supported by a coalition of organizations with the goal of securing the best possible outcomes for stroke patients by driving policy change and public awareness nationwide. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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